Filing drawer or the like



Dec. 6, 1938. w. F. REGENHARDT 2,139,233

' FILING DRAWER OR THE LIKE Filed June 19, 1955 ATTORN EY Patented Dec.6, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FILING DRAWER. OR THE LIKE Walter F.Regenhardt, Cleveland, Ohio Application June 19,

'1 Claims.

The present invention relates to filing drawers or the like and moreparticularly to filing drawers employing a follower file-back. One ofthe objects of the present invention is to provide for the quick releaseof the follower filing-back so that it can he slid horizontally withinthe drawer and to insure a binding relation between the back and thedrawer wall accomplished by the manipulation of the file-back itself.

Another object of the invention is to provide a plurality of abutmentson the drawer to be engaged by members on the file-back to limit themovement of these members and thereby limiting the rearward movement ofthe file-back and which members are released from their binding relationwith the abutments by merely pulling forwardly on the upper part of thefile-back.

A further object of the present invention is to pivotally attach aplurality of camming members on the file-back which members are adaptedto cam themselves into binding relation with abutments in the filedrawer when force is exerted rearwardly at the upper part of thefile-back and which are arranged to release this binding relation bymerely pulling forwardly on the upper part of the file-back.

Further objections and advantages will be' apparent from the followingdisclosure, reference being had to the accompanying drawing wherein apreferred form of embodiment of the present invention is clearly shown:

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on line of Fig. 3 and alsoshows part of one of the guides broken away.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 1 but showing the followerfile-back in a different position; and V Fig. 3 is a sectional viewtaken on line 33 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing, and for the purpose of illustrating theapplication of the present invention'in connection with a filing drawerfor file cabinets, there is shown a drawer 28. The opposite sides 2| and22 and the bottom 23 of the drawer are preferably formed of sheet metal.A front 25 is suitably attached to the sides and bottom walls and isprovided with a pull 26. From the point 21 and rearwardly thereof theupper edges of the sides 2| and 22 are bent inwardly to form abutments28' and then downwardly as at 29 to provide open bottom horizontalextending guides at the upper ends of the side walls.

1935, Serial No. 27,283

The follower file-back 3| is also preferably formed of sheet metal andthe lower part 32 is bent back on itself 'to form the slot 33 and isattached at 34 to the main body of the back 3| by spot welding or byrivets 36. For the purpose of providing a facile manner of releasablyholding the follower file-back in position, I provide members on thefile-back which are arranged to impinge with the abutments 28 and thebottom wall 23 of the drawer 28. The bottom wall functions as anabutment for the members. These members include a U-shaped cammingmember 31 having legs 38 and 39 and a connecting yoke 40. The yoke 40 isarranged to slide on the bottom 23 of drawer 20 and the legs 38 and 39slide along the side walls 2| and 22 of the drawer 20. The entire upperedges of legs 38 and 39 are inclined rearwardly to form camming surfaces42. The file-back 3| is carried between the legs 38 and 39 and ispivotally connected to these legs by a roller 43 and a pin or shaft 44.The shaft 44 extends through the roller 43 and the opposite ends thereofare journaled in the legs 38 and 39. The roller 43 is disposed withinthe slot 33. Camming members 46 and 41 are arranged along the inneropposite sides 2| and 22 of the drawer 20 and extend into the guidesformed by the downwardly extending portions 29 of the sides 2| and 22.The lower edges of the cam members 48 and 41 are inclined to formcamming surfaces 48 which correspond in an angular inclination with thecamming surfaces 42 of the U-shaped camming members 31. A roller 50 isdisposed in the upper part of slot 33 and receives a pin 5| which inturn has its opposite ends journaled to the cam members 46 and 41.

Fig. 1 of the drawing shows the follower fileback in its file holdingposition. When the upper part of the file-back 3| is moved forwardly, asshown in Fig. 2, the camming members 46 and 41 will be moved forwardlybecause of the interconnection of said file-back and members 46 and 41through the roller 56 and pin 5|. The camming members 46 and 41 willthen slide downwardly on the camming surfaces 42 to release the bindingrelation between the camming members 46, 41, yoke member 4|] and theabutments 28 and 23; it being understood that bottom wall 23 of thedrawer 28 forms an abutment for the camming member 31. When this bindingrelationship is released, the file-back 3| and the camming members 31,46 and 41 can be slid horizontally on the bottom wall 23. When it isdesired to fasten the file-back in position, it is necessary only torotate the upper part of the file-back in a rearwardly direction. Thiswill cause the camming surfaces 48 to slide upwardly on camming surfaces42 whereby the camming members 46 and." will engage the top abutments 28and then by exerting a little more force in the same direction, thecamming member 31 will be impinged tightly against the bottom wall 23 ofthe drawer.

If no front is provided, the file-back 3| and camming members 31, 46 and41 can be inserted from the front as an assembly, or, this assembly canbe inserted from the rear. However in the present embodiment wherein afront is provided for the cover and the rear is folded in as at 53, theassembly is inserted into the drawer from the top, and to accomplishthis, the guides 29- stop at 21 so that the assembly can be insertedforward of this point.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that it is necessary only to rotatethe file-back itself in a forward direction in order to release the samefor sliding movement in the drawer and in order to hold the file-back ina desired position, it is necessary to rotate the file-back itself in arearwardly direction.

What I claim is:

1. A filing drawer comprising in combination, sheet metal providing sidewalls and a connecting bottom wall, the upper edges of the side wallsbeing bent inwardly and downwardly to form horizontally extending guidesand abutments, a member slidable in each of said guides, said memberseach having a camming surface on the lower edge thereof, means slidableover the bottom wall and providing spaced camming members each having acamming surface on the upper edge thereof adapted to cooperate with thefirst mentioned camming surfaces, and a follower file-back pivotallyattached to all of said members and adapted, when rotated rearwardly, tocause the camming surfaces to cam the sliding members into bindingrelation with the abutments and bottom wall, respectively.

2. A filing drawer comprising in combination,

side walls and a connecting bottom wall, said side walls each having ahorizontally disposed abutment, a U-shaped camming member, the yoke ofsaid member being slidable on the bottom wall and the upper edges of thelegs of the member being inclined to form camming surfaces, a followerfile-back pivotally attached to the member and slidable therewith, apair of cams each having a lower camming surface and spaced from oneanother for cooperation with the' camming surfaces of the U-shapedcamming member, said cams being carried by the file-back and adapted tocam the U-shaped member downwardly into binding relation with the bottomwall and cam the cams upwardly into binding relation with the abutmentswhen the file-back is rotated rearwardly.

3. A filing drawer comprising in combination, side walls and aconnecting bottom wall, said side walls each having a horizontallydisposed abutment, a U-shaped camming member, the yoke of said memberbeing slidable on the bottom wall and the upper edges of the legs of themember being inclined to form camming surfaces, a follower file-backpivotally attached to the member and slidable therewith, a pair of camseach having a lower camming surface and spaced from one another forcooperation with the camming surfaces of the U-shaped camming member,said cams being pivotally carried by the file-back and adapted to camthe U-shaped member downwardly into binding relation with the bottomwall and cam the cams upwardly into binding relation with the abutmentswhen the file-back i rotated rearwardly.

4. A filing drawer comprising in combination, sheet metal providing sidewalls and 9. connecting bottom wall, the upper edges of the side wallsbeing bent inwardly and downwardly to form horizontally extending guidesand abutments, a member slidable in each of said guides, said memberseach having a camming surface on the lower edge thereof, a'U-shapedcamming member, the yoke of said U-shaped member being slidable on thebottom wall and the upper edges of the legs of the U-shaped member beinginclined to form camming surfaces cooperable with the first mentionedcamming surfaces, and a follower file-back pivotally attached to all ofsaid members and adapted, when rotated rearwardly, to cause the cammingsurfaces to cam the sliding members into binding relation with theabutx. ts and bottom wall, respectively.

5. A filin drawer comprising in combination, side walls and a connectingbottom wall, the side walls each having a horizontally extendingabutment, a follower file-back disposed between the side Walls andtransversely thereof, an element slidable on the bottom wall and havingmembers extending upwardly at opposite side edges of the file-back andeach having a camming surface on the upper edge thereof, means forpivotally attaching said members to the file-back, other slidablemembers vertically aligned with the first mentioned members and arrangedto engage said abutments and each having a camming surface on the loweredge thereof for cooperation with the first mentioned camming surfaces,and means for pivotally attaching said other slidable members to thefile-back, one of said attaching means being translatably movable withrespect to the file-back.

6. A filing drawer comprising in combination, side walls and aconnecting bottom wall, the upper side walls each having a horizontallyextending abutment; a follower file-back disposed between the side wallsand transversely thereof, said file-back having a horizontal slotextended completely across the same; an element slidable on the bottomwall and having members extending upwardly at opposite side edges of thefileback and each having a camming surface on the upper edge thereof;means for pivotally attaching said members to the file-back; otherslidable members vertically aligned with the first mentioned members andarranged to engage said abutments and each having a camming surface onthe lower edge thereof for cooperation with the first mentioned cammingsurfaces; and means for pivotally attaching said other slidable membersto the fileback, one of said attaching means including a horizontalpivot pin for certain of said members, said pin extending through theslot and projecting on opposite sides of the vertical side edges of thefile-back.

'7. A filing drawer comprising in combination, side walls and aconnecting bottom wall, the side walls each having a horizontallyextending abutment; a follower file-back disposed between the side wallsand transversely thereof, said file-back having a horizontal slotextended completely across the same; an element slidable on the bottomwall and having members extending upwardly at opposite side edges of thefile-back and each having a camming surface on the upper edge thereof;means for pivotally attaching said members to the file -back; otherslidable memansaaaa I 3 the slot and each projecting on ogpoaite sidesof the vertical side edges 0! the iile-bacLthe first mentioned membersbeing pivotaily associated with one of the pins and the said othermembers being pivotally associated with the other WALTER. m.

